The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-06-30
THE COST. OF COTTON.

your might, apd in your best STYLE"
TIE COST OF COTTON.
Results of an Interesting Experiment on
the Farm OF Mr.. j. A. Peterkin.
From the Weekly Ne1us and Courier.
Each section of the world has its Pc
.culiar product that is best adapted to it.
Ours is peculiarly adapted to cotton.
Other products grow and flourish, but
none suits it so we'll as cotton. 1t is our
money product, and should have especial
attention. We need not fear over-pro.
duction. The world needs all We can
make. If we don't make it, some other
section of the world will. Cotton at 10
cents is the highest priced product in
the world. What we should learn to do
is to make it with the least possible cost.
On well-drained high lands short staple
cotton should be made at cost of not
more than 5 cents per pound, and put on
the market at that.
/ said in the Cotton Plant some time
ago that I would make the experiment
this season with, a one.horse plough 10
see how much and how cheap the staple
could possibly be produced. / will now
repeat for the Weekly Nesos and Courier
what said T intended to do in the way
of intensive farming, and tell of the
prospects at this time. will also report
later, and will say that this experiment
is for the benefit of the public. l boast.
ed in the Cotton Plant that would plant
fifty. acres to one mule, and make fifty
bales. This is my mode of intensive
farming. Icansnow say that my pros.
poets are good for the fifty bales, each to
weigh 500 pounds. If I succeed, and l
think I will, and get ten cents per pound
Twill put my cotton on the market at a
cost of less than three cents per pound,
which will make me at least 81 500 clear
profit.
Now if every plough that is run in the
South would make fifty bales, we would
soon root out the balance of the world
and have things our own way.
The climate of South Carolina is ex.
actly suited for the plant, neither too hot
or too cool. It is less subjectto disaster
in every respect than the rich bottoms Of
the Mississippi, and if we make bale
to the acre the crop is self.sustainipg,
THAT is to say,) the seed when turned
into meal will give enough to fertilize
the land and buy said phosphate to go
with it and have a little left to fertilize
corn.
My fifty acres are planted altogether
different from the usual custom. Instead
of planting on the bed have planted in
the alley or water furrow, and instead of
ploughing dirt up hill I am throwing it
down hill, ard I find it much easier to
do. The hoeing will be done for less
than one dollar per acre, and will stand
any drought we have ever had. Not a
single root is ever cut. It branches out
long limbs near the ground.
I have been successful for two years in
succession on ten acre plant, and know
my fifty acres will succeed this time.
My mode of cultivation is 80 different
from the usual way that I will not speak
of it now, but will venture to advise on
the old plan of planting on the bed, and
my advice is opposite to David Dixon's.
He said plough with aat.running sweep
and cultivate level, SO as not to cut the
roots. Now that can'tbe DONE. If you
plant on bed, don't care how low it
is, and cultivate with hat.running
Dixon sweep, you are cutting the most
important roots all the time. No imple.
ment could be invented that would do
more harm. Ny idea is to use a sweep
just tae opposite, something on the style
Of the old.time barrel head. T bought q
dozen few days ago from G. P. Poppen.
helm, of Charleston. He called it the
|: Charleston sweep. 1t is the best thing
3of the kind T have ever seen.
My plan is to plough the cropfrom the
beginning to end with the same size
sweep. You are then less subject to in.
lure the lateral roots. Think of it aud
try it. You will find that your cotton
will stand the July and August droughts
better than if ploughed with the aat.run.
ming Dixon sweep. Twenty.inch is the
largest size to use. 1t leaves three and
a half. foot row in good shape, aud that is
the right distance to plant cotton.
spoke of my fifty acre farm being on
the intensive system. Now I am intensi'
fyiug on big mule that is worth as
much as two ordinary mules. have
also intensified on a big negro that starts
his plough at daybreak on Monday morn
ing and ploughs until dark, or as long as
he can see, and keeps t.up until Satur'
day night. 1 am not on the Furman in
tensive system, because l think it expen'
sive and uncertain, because high fertil'
izing is dangerous without perfect seasons
all through the year.
think I will be able to put in pes
crop and also an oat crop that my mule
will make his feed for another year.
]. A. PETERKIN.
Fort Motte, June 10.
Editorial in Daily News and Courier.
Mr.. J. a. PeterkiD, of Fort Motto